The mechanical properties mainly tensile properties, impact toughness and high-cycle fatigue properties, of two-phase Al-20Zn alloy subjected to severe plastic deformation (SPD) via equal-channel angular extrusion (ECAE) using route A up to 2 passes were studied. The ECAE almost completely eliminated as-cast dendritic microstructure including casting defects such as micro porosities. A refined microstructure consisting of elongated micro constituents, α and α+η eutectic phases, formed after ECAE via route A. As a result of this microstructural change, mechanical properties mainly the impact toughness and fatigue performance of the as-cast Al-20Zn alloy increased significantly through the ECAE. The rates of increase in fatigue endurance limit are approximately 74 % after one pass and 89 % after two passes while the increase in impact toughness is 122 %. Also the yield and tensile strengths of the alloy increase with ECAE. However, no considerable change occurred in hardness and percentage elongation of the alloy. It was also observed that the ECAE changed the nature of the fatigue fracture characteristics of the as-cast Al-20Zn alloy.
Local texture and microstructure in cube-oriented nickel single crystal deformed by equal channel angular extrusion